Newsroom

Our Brand Story

The purpose and promise of our new brand

NOTE: The "Brand Story" was written for the employees of The Mount Sinai Health System and was distributed via intranet on December 14, 2013

Everyone knows Mount Sinai.
But not everyone knows what we stand for.

That is why we are introducing our new brand. To better communicate our distinctive, energetic, and creative identity to everyone who touches Mount Sinai. To bring us all together — through better messaging, communications, and actions that embody our brand.

Just as we want Mount Sinai to represent the single source for groundbreaking research, excellence in education, and compassionate clinical care, so Mount Sinai itself must become one unified brand. This means that everyone — physicians, scientists, clinical staff, students, and employees — must have a common understanding of who we are and what we stand for.

A successful brand unifies and clarifies identity, but it is also a discipline that guides an organization's strategic thinking, communications, and behavior. One mission. One voice. One set of values. It is an organizing principle that integrates our legacy, our locations, disciplines, talents, and expertise — and the human mission that binds everyone here.

All of which makes our new brand far more than a logo change. Our rebranding initiative builds on all the exceptional work we have done and the accomplishments we have achieved. It focuses and directs our future efforts into a carefully phased, definitive plan that enables us to express ourselves consistently in everything we say and do, how we interact, how we behave.

We took a long hard look at the core of who we are and why we are here. We conducted considerable research, both inside and outside the institution, to distill our strengths and qualities into a promise designed to make us the first choice for our workforce, our patients, and our donors. For everyone in our community: suppliers, vendors, constituents, and your next-door neighbors.

The time to change is now

We need this change to compete effectively to meet the challenges that lie ahead. With competition increasing and health care reform changing the landscape for everyone involved, we have to clearly and simply communicate that Mount Sinai is the choice for exceptional care and experiences, from preventive medicine to treatment for the most complex human conditions. Our new brand will bring us together around this promise. There is no better time to elevate our profile, define our presence, and deliver our message to all our audiences.

The people who rely on us most — patients from our neighborhood, across the nation, and around the world — will better understand who we are and what we have to offer through this change. As will our partners, providers, physicians, scientists, faculty, students, and prospective students who already know us as one of the nation's pre-eminent medical centers.

It is therefore vital that we present a cohesive, coherent brand. One worthy of our legacy, reputation, and of the people who make us what we are. One that represents a singularity of purpose and commitment.

In short, it is the ideal moment for cutting through the clutter to affirm who we are, why we are here, and where we are going.

What will change

All branded materials and assets will be changed to our new identity, but this will occur over a period of time. The conversion will happen in a fiscally responsible manner; we also want to give people time to understand and adjust to the change.

With our new brand identity, you can expect one key outcome: consistency. This unified mindset has emerged directly from our business strategy, and will inform brand-related decision-making at all levels consistent with our objectives – clinical, academic, medical and, more significantly, human.

We will have one culture: collegial, collaborative, and devoted to compassionate, comprehensive patient care, advanced research, and exceptional education. A consistent look, feel, and tone to all communications, signage, apparel, stationery, and vehicles. And a consistent experience for everyone who works here, has a relationship with us, or walks through our doors for treatment.

We will all be part of one big story, one that makes a real difference.

With each of us writing it, telling it, living it in everything we do.

Your brand: your role

You are Mount Sinai. You are the brand.

Our institution's reputation has always relied on you, and likewise our new brand will live and succeed only with your full support.

Therefore it is important that we maintain the spirit of openness and collaboration that has taken us this far, in order to make this a successful transition for everyone involved.

We urge you to familiarize yourself with the Mount Sinai Brand Center, home to all the tools, resources, and information you will need to understand, articulate, and represent our new brand. From signage to communications to uniforms to conversations to brand updates.

This will be an exciting, competitive move that will bring each of us even closer together. And closer to the people who need and depend on us most. It is a new chapter in our 160-year history. A chapter that, with your continued support, assistance, and dedication, will enhance and extend our success.